Landmark
by Jargonelle
Summary: One shot: Six short scenes from Raven’s POV, assuming his and Lucius’ ‘A’ support ending. Raven and Lucius try to help a remote village that is under attack, but nothing, of course, goes as expected. Rated for violence.


Landmark  
by Jargonelle  
  
Summary: Six short scenes from Raven's POV, assuming his and Lucius' 'A' support ending. Raven and Lucius try to help a remote village that is under attack, but nothing, of course, goes as expected. Rated for violence.  
  
Warning: Torture is described in Scene 4. It is not graphic, but it needs to be mentioned. Please do not read this if you believe you will find it distressing. There is nothing here which I feel warrants a higher rating.  
  
If Lucius and Raven finish the game having reached the highest level of support, the two will travel together as mercenaries following the quest's end.  
  
Landmark:   
1. An object or feature of a landscape or town that is easily seen and recognised from a distance.   
2. An event, discovery, or change marking an important stage or turning point. [Concise Oxford Dictionary]  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem and I am making no money from this.  
  
-----  
  
Scene 1: The Inn  
  
The inn is nearly full, its public bar crowded.  
  
I slide my coins across the table to the innkeeper, almost double the going rate for a room for a night. He pours me a drink of his cheapest ale to seal our bargain and hands me a key.  
  
Lucius has not witnessed the exchange and I am glad. It is an unnecessary expense, one which we would have done well to avoid, but I know important it is for him to pray and watch the sun each morning as it rises. I would rather he did not roam the streets of this town ere dawn comes.  
  
They prey on the weak here, I can tell by watching the crowds.  
  
The unarmed women do not walk alone, they always move in groups or with someone they believe will protect them. Children are not allowed far from their guardian's sights, at least, not the children of the richer families; bastards are fair game.  
  
It would be a good place for a mercenary such as I. I could make money here. I cannot go home ever; the House of Cornwell has such debts hanging over it as to make return impossible.  
  
I raise my glass to my lips and turn to survey the room.  
  
A man is rambling, feverishly absorbing Lucius' attention. His hands grip the front of Lucius' robes tightly. When he is not screaming at unseen devils or foaming at the mouth, he orders Lucius to cleanse his soul. He threatens him.  
  
I intervene and pull Lucius back to me.  
  
"You cannot save everyone," I say and lead him to our shared room, the only guestroom to face the sunrise. I do not trust these people with Lucius and I do not trust him with them.  
  
This town would have been a good place for a mercenary such as I.  
  
We shall move on in the morning.  
  
-----  
  
Scene 2: The Magic   
  
Lucius is magical; sometimes I forget that.  
  
A young woman, afraid almost to the point of tears, grabbed his arm whilst we were walking, wanting to rush him to her husband's bedside. I began to object, but Lucius stopped me with a glance and willingly went with her.  
  
The man died just before sunset.  
  
Lucius had spent the day with him, had eased his mind and helped him recall his happy memories so that he could leave this world in peace. All I could do was to try to smile whenever someone dragged me into the conversation and lend support to Lucius after he nearly collapsed from emotional exhaustion.  
  
"I will not apologise, Lord Raymond." He leans on my arm heavily. "I made a difference today."  
  
"At your own expense, as usual," I reply, fighting to keep the concern from my voice. He needs to understand that people will continue to take advantage of him if he acts the way he does. We may have been fed well today but our progress was interrupted. We should have been on the way to the next settlement, not having to fork over hard-earned gold to spend another night at the inn.  
  
"You have replaced your desire for vengeance with greed. It is but the beginning of your path." He speaks slowly, ostensibly having read my thoughts, a touch of weariness lacing his words. At times he seems far, far older than me.  
  
"Lucius..." I say sternly, I have no wish to be reminded of my faults.  
  
"My Lord Raymond," he answers.  
  
He stumbles and I catch him.  
  
"Thank you, my Lord."  
  
My House is gone, my title lost, there is no need for him to call me that. Yet he does anyway.  
  
It is a mixed blessing.  
  
-----  
  
Scene 3: The Village  
  
The village was in trouble. Its people were in danger.  
  
Do not worry about its name or location. I did, at first, and it did me no good. Atrocity recognises no borders.  
  
This village could have been anywhere, could have been inhabited by anyone.  
  
Its people were being forced out of their homes, their crops destroyed, their children kidnapped and their leaders murdered.  
  
That was all Lucius saw.  
  
Despite his allegiance to me, he did not see politics, he saw people, and he felt... called to help them.  
  
So he did. With my permission, he healed and rescued, he heard confessions, lightened hearts and fought the bandits who held the village to ransom.  
  
I defended Lucius.  
  
Though he protested occasionally, he knew it was sensible. He was still sick, still prone to bouts of dizziness and feeling faint. I felt better when I watching him, that way I knew he was safe, knew his heart was still beating.  
  
He is like family to me and I did not, I do not, wish to lose him. The people understood that, they accepted me as one of their own. I was protecting family; Lucius was protecting strangers. He was their hero, their saviour. He was the one their children wanted to see. They pulled his hair to make sure he was real.  
  
I was so certain that if an attack came, he would be the target. He was a symbol of hope, a beacon to those in the village who resisted. He was physically the weaker of the two of us. He was the one most often in public.  
  
I was wrong.  
  
I do not fear for myself. I only hope Lucius will not suffer too greatly as a result of my mistake.  
  
He's suffered enough already.  
  
-----  
  
Scene 4: The Intermission  
  
Many men boast of having overcome trials. If I survive this... I will speak of it to no one.  
  
_His hands are tied. _   
  
I have not triumphed. I have failed.  
  
_His eyes forced shut by heavy cloth. _   
  
There is no way to escape it. I have failed the village or I have failed Lucius or I have failed both.  
  
_ A footprint stamped upon his chest._   
  
He should give up on me. His children need protecting.  
  
_ A deep infected slash running down one thigh._   
  
There are others here. A girl, I hear her screams as they take her in the night. A boy, Ogg, the son of a chieftain, I hear them torture him for information; they believe there are treasures to be found. A man, I hear they want to break him as a warning.  
  
_ His captors' discarded spit found dribbling down his face._   
  
My sword is missing, unsurprisingly. I miss its weight; I miss its sharpness. I miss the power it lends to me.  
  
_ His body is weak. He has not eaten for a day. His only sustenance, a muddy splash of water._   
  
I am more scared of life, than of death.  
  
_ There are only three prisoners left breathing in the camp._   
  
For the first time, I pray. I pray to Saint Elimine to keep Lucius away from this place. He has been a devoted servant. She should not abandon him.  
  
_ The sentries are all sleeping. It is as if a spell has been cast upon them from afar. _  
  
I am tired.  
  
_A silent war is waged. Not one of the bandits survives. _  
  
If I close my eyes now, perhaps I will never wake again.  
  
-----  
  
Scene 5: The Light  
  
The scar on my leg is ugly; it had festered too long unattended to be removed by even Lucius' magic.  
  
I do not have any others.  
  
Lucius grieves. He pretends to be unaffected, much as I do, but he has lost something profound and it pains him deeply.  
  
He has killed before. He fought for Lady Lyndis and the Lords Eliwood and Hector.  
  
Yet he had never murdered. He had never killed someone in anger, never struck a man down who need not have died.  
  
I would not wish that upon anyone.  
  
The children cluster around him, some orphaned, some maimed, all scared and all scarred. They fill the village hall. He tries to dampen their suffering, to absorb it into himself. He grows weaker.  
  
I could frighten them away, or worse still, call their elders, but they provide a welcome diversion. Lucius has not yet attempted to talk with me. He watches me though and I watch him; it is comforting to see him after all that has happened.  
  
Eventually I stand, slowly, and make my way towards him. The children scatter to the corners of the room. I look at him carefully, trying to determine how much he has endured.  
  
"Show them your magic," I suggest finally. "Show them your light. They need it."  
  
Hopefully it will cheer the children, and if it cheers them, then Lucius should no longer feel the need to mute their distress.  
  
He smiles, "Thank you, I will Lord Raymond."  
  
"Raven," I correct.  
  
"... Raven."  
  
The name no longer seems strange to me.  
  
"Are you angry?" he asks.  
  
I do not hesitate. "Yes."  
  
"That is good to hear. It means you are recovering."  
  
He turns from me and opens a book of light magic. He chants.  
  
A glowing aura floods into the room. It starts softly but then grows until the whole room is bathed in light. The children watch, fascinated.  
  
As do I.  
  
-----  
  
Scene 6: The Epilogue  
  
I have lost Lucius.  
  
I have lost him not to sickness, not to hatred, not to jealously nor death. I have lost him in the best possible way.  
  
He, who had no home, has found one, complete with a family who already love him.  
  
I have to leave. I cannot stay here; here where every step I take reminds me of something I would rather forget. I will find my way back though, once I have come to terms with my guilt.  
  
I may be gone a long time.  
  
Ogg, now crippled for life, presented me with a sword yesterday, to replace the one the bandits took. It is one that was forged back when the village was founded. It is one of the treasures he would have died to protect.  
  
Lucius blinked back tears when he told me he wanted to stay. He would have followed me, if I had asked him. I could not.  
  
The village hall still shines, I can see it, even though I am out of the village itself. It pays homage to Lucius and to St Elimine, who kept him safe. It is a guiding light for all those who have left but wish to return.  
  
I will, of that I am certain.  
  
I have someone to come back for.  
  
------  
  
THE END  
  
------  
  
A/N: Thoughts? Comments? Criticisms?   
  
Has anyone else tried writing from Raven's perspective? I'd love to hear what you thought about how I portrayed him.   
  
Thanks for reading. 


End file.
